“Maybe it’s some kind of misunderstanding?” Em said trying to reach for some sense out of it all.
“How do you misunderstand that? And why the hell would his parents fly up with her if it wasn’t true. I mean this guy…I…I can’t believe how much I let him in. I almost told him about Aria.”
“So what are you going to do now?” Emma asked softly.
“Hell if I know! What should I do, I mean other then never talk to him again.”
“What about telling Aria.”
I gave Emma a look of betrayal.
“I mean it. We both know she isn’t buying the SEAL story any more. Sure the guy might be an ass, and I mean might, but at the same time Aria deserves to know the truth about her dad.”
“My dad,” a voice called from the hall.
I turned to see a sleepy head half stumbling down the hall. The shock of what she heard was waking her up pretty quick.
“You said tell me the truth about my dad, what does that mean?” she looked at me accusingly.
“Look, honey. I said reaching out for her to come over, “I told you yesterday. The thing with your dad is really complicated and hard to explain.”
She didn’t move from her spot.
“But he isn’t dead. He wasn’t some SEAL that died on deployment was he?”
“No,” I said softly.
Before I could say more she turned and slammed her door behind her. I cringed at the sound but could not blame her for being upset.
Emma got up from the couch and collected her stuff.
“I’ll let you two talk this out,” she said grabbing her purse and keys. “She'll be okay once she calms down a bit.”
“I’ll see you at the show okay,” she added giving me a hug.
“Shit, the recital. I hope I just didn’t ruin this day for her.”
“It will be okay. I promise no matter what we’ll find a way to work it all out.” Em reassured me before leaving.
I sunk back into the couch. I had no idea how working anything out was even possible now. Barrett had a future wife that he had purposely left out.
Now that Aria knew her father was alive and would surely want to meet him. There was no way in hell after what happened this morning that she was ever going to be able to face Barrett again.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Barrett
“Why are you here?” I asked in a low tone to Sophia while Mom was taking a phone call.
They had all shuffled into the house, sat down at the dining room table for an impromptu breakfast and coffee.
“Your parents invited me,” Sophia said with a shrug of her shoulders. She brushed her brunette hair back from her shoulder. “I missed you too. I know you wanted to settle down in Chicago, make a name for yourself away from your dad’s practice, but that doesn’t mean we need to stay apart.”
“Yeah, Sophia it does. You and me, we talked about that. It didn’t work. Why the hell are you telling my parents we are engaged now?”
“I didn’t tell them,” she said batting her eyes at me. “It is just something that we always knew would happen. I mean your mom knows it's not official or anything yet.”
“Not Ever, Soph.”
“I don’t believe that,” she said reaching across the table to take my hand.
I pulled back.
“I’m in love with someone else,” I said simply. I didn’t want to hurt her, but it was time she got it clear in her head.
“What did you say?” Mom said cheerfully coming back into the room.
“He says he is in love with someone else,” Sophia repeated.
“What?” Dad added in accusatory tone.
“How could you do that to Sophia?!” my mother shrieked coming to sit down next to her.
“I didn’t do it to her. I’m sorry,” I said turning back to Sophia. “We were over a long time ago. I met someone. We have a child together.”
“What the hell,” my father shouted. “You’ve only been home for six months, how the hell is that even possible?”
“Look," I said rubbing my hand along the stubble on my chin. “I know this is all confusing. I didn’t know about Aria till recently too.”
“Who the hell is Aria?” Dad shouted.
“My daughter,” I said exasperated. “It doesn’t matter, I am in love with her mother.”
“Then you shouldn’t have lead Sophia on all these years,” Mom accused putting a hand on Sophia.
She was already pooling tears in her eyes. With a burst of sobs she stood and excused herself. I heard the elevator close on her.
“You better get up and go after her right now, son!” Dad shouted.
“No,” I said standing. “I don’t care how much you try to bully me. You don’t get to pick where I live, what job I have, or who the hell I want to spend my life with.”
“Please don’t shout at your father,” Mom said in an attempt to calm the situation. “We just don’t understand is all. “We always knew you had a wild hair. You had your fun and now we just thought you would come back home, and back to the commitments you made.”
“I never committed anything to Sophia. Maybe you did, but not me.”
“I’m just so upset right now,” Mom said dabbing at her eyes. I was fairly certain in all my life I had never actually seen her cry. I looked closely now. No, she still wasn’t crying just making a show of it.
“Bill, I think we should go. Coming to visit was a bad idea,” she said coming to a stand.
“You can give us a call when you come to your senses,” Dad spat before ushering Mom out.
I waited till the doors were fully closed on them before saying, “Don’t count on it.”
As soon as they were gone the first thing I did was call Lilly. She didn’t pick up. I told myself it was just Aria’s dance thing. She probably had her phone on silent. When I called again that night and she still didn’t pick up I had a feeling it was much more than just a dance recital keeping her from talking to me.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Lilly
Barrett called me every day for the next week. In complete polar opposite, Aria was barely speaking more than two words to me every day. Try as I might to get her to understand that I was doing my best to protect her, she didn’t believe me.
She insisted I tell her the truth of her day and let her meet him. How could I explain that I didn’t want her to see the lying bastard who had broken my heart. I wasn’t willing to let him do the same to her.
Along with the calls I didn’t pick up, Barrett had also sent a steady stream of text messages. I couldn't say what they were about since I refused to open them. I wasn’t going to let him make excuses.
The week was utter dread. I didn’t know if it was because a complete come down after the euphoria I had the week before, or the fact I had tricked myself in believing that things would have ended up so perfectly for my little family.
Either way it was stupid of me to get so involved with Barrett. I should have known better. I should have realized that I knew nothing about him and never let him in our lives. We were doing just fine without him.
Of course I really didn’t believe my own words. I mean we were getting by. I guess I could say perfectly. Even without Barrett entering the picture things were already getting hard keeping up my false paternity story.
I would have found a way though, and it would have turned out a whole lot better then things between Aria and I right now.
“Aria, dinner’s in five,” I called down the hall.
She rarely left her room now aside from going to school and coming back home. I kind of feared she might actually hate me for the rest of her life. I deserved it.
I had given her false hope of a father who loved and cared for her from heaven. In her mind her Daddy would have been here with her if he could. Now she was coming to the realization that her father was a presence in this world and someone who she would never see, and who would never even know to care about her.
A kno
ck on my door interrupted my thoughts. I wasn’t planning on Emma coming over, but she was the only one that did, so I just sampled hollered out for her to come in.
I leaned over the kitchen bar and froze in place when instead of Emma’s usual frame it was one of a tall dark and handsome man.
“Barrett,” I said surprised.
“You said come in,” he said motioning to the door.
“I thought you were Emma,” I explained coming around the kitchen bar to stand before him with my arms crossed.
“You wouldn’t pick up your phone, or return my calls so I thought if I came by I might get a chance to explain.”
“I don’t want to hear your explanation.”
“Is he my dad?” Aria blurted out from the hall.
I couldn’t fault her for being there, I had called her out for dinner after all. I was at a loss for words. Barrett still had no idea who Aria was to him. I didn’t want to lie to Aria but I also didn’t think Barrett deserved to know.
“Yeah, I am,” he said shocking me even further.
“And you figured it was cool to just walk right in like no big deal. You probably weren’t going to ever tell me either,” she said before storming off to her room.
I debated going after Aria. Instead I turned to Barrett.
“You knew? How long?”
He took my hand and walked us over to sit on the couch.
"I thought it might be true after that first time we met. When I saw her picture on your desk at work I knew for sure. I didn’t want to say anything. I figured you would tell me when you were ready.”
“And good thing I didn’t,” I said crossing my arms again.
“Lilly, I know you heard my mom. She isn’t my fiancé though. We never even discussed marriage before I left for the Red Cross. It was just all what my parents wanted and convinced Sophia that it was what she wanted too.”
“But that is your life, and this is ours,” I said trying my best to shrug off his words.
“No,” he said scooting closer to me and taking my hand. “You. I want you to be my life. If I had only known from the start. You don’t know how many nights I went to that club after hoping to find you again. You stole my heart then.”
“Barrett, I don’t know.” I hesitated. “This all sounds lovely but I have Aria to think about and…”
“And I want the chance to worry and think about her too. I never believed in fate, but Lilly, I know it’s what brought you to my office that day. I never did forget you because maybe a part of me knew that you were here taking care of my baby.”
“You don't understand. I don’t even know if Aria is going to forgive me, let alone accept anyone else. The thing I told you about the Navy SEAL. It’s the same story she heard her whole life and up until yesterday she believed it.”
“I couldn’t tell her what really happened. That I didn’t even know her father’s name. What kind of mother would I be? I just don’t know what to do now,” I gave out in a defeated huff.
I never expected parenting to be easy. It wasn’t a lie when people said it should come with a manual. For the most part though I had gotten along pretty well. This was the first time that I truly had no idea how to fix the situation.
Barrett lifted my hand to his lips and kissed my palm breathing me in. I had to admit that instantly, my body calmed at his touch.
“We go in there and tell her the truth. It may not be pretty, but it is what it is. And now we are all here together. I know we are meant to be together, to be a family. So that is how we will work this out.”
I nodded my head in agreement. I never once thought I wished I had Aria’s father in our life. In that moment as I leaned into his touch I realized how much I had missed not having his support here to help me.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Barrett
Together Lilly and I got up from the couch and made our way to Aria's room. She knocked softly on the door and I waited just behind her. I was after all the stranger in all of this. I would give her as much room as was needed.
“Aria,” Lilly called when she didn’t answer. “I know you're mad, but we need to talk about this.”
She knocked again and still no answer. Lilly looked back at me worry on her face. I didn’t have a good feeling either.
Lilly opened the door and walked into the room.
“Aria?” She called before bursting back out “She’s gone!”
“What?”
She handed me a piece of paper. In a child’s had was the simple words “I am running away.”
It was such a simple and innocent phrase but also sent a chill of panic through me. This was after all the city and it was starting to get dark.
“How could she get out your on the second floor?” I said confused.
“There is a fire escape out her window.”
I walked passed Lilly and into the room. It looked like the normal room of a little girl but the window as open and screen pushed out.
“Come on,” I said walking out of the room and grabbing Lilly’s hand. “She couldn’t have gotten that far.”
We sat in silence in my car as we drove the darkening streets around Lilly’s complex. The hard part was not knowing what direction she went.
“What if someone took here. She is just a little girl. Maybe I should call the police.”
“They wouldn’t do anything about it yet. Where would she have wanted to go?”
“I mean we already went in the direction of Em and the dance studio. Maybe lets try over there,” she said pointing to the left. “There is a park we go to sometimes.”
I flipped the car around and sped in the new direction.
“Oh thank God! There she is!” Lilly said pointing to a small figure sitting on a bus stop Barrettch under a street light.
Even with the darkness and the shadows casting on her face it was easy to see she was crying. Maybe she had tried to go somewhere and was lost, either way I was relieved that we found her.
I pulled over a ways up from the stop. I turned to Lilly.
“Hey, can I talk to her first?” I asked.
She hesitated. I could see she wanted to run to her baby and hold her close. She relaxed a little and nodded in agreement.
I got out of the car and walked over to Aria. Without saying a word I sat down on the bench next to her. She sniffed once.
“So you’re my dad?” she asked finally while still looking at her dangling feet.
“Yeah,” was all I could muster to say.
“So where have you been. Apparently not in heaven like I thought. I used to pretend you were up there wishing you could be here with me.”
I looked down at her. I so wanted to wrap my little girls in my arms and dry away all her tears.
“I was with the Red Cross. I didn’t know that your mom got pregnant, otherwise I would have been here.”
“So she lied to you too,” Aria said with anger deeply laced in her words.
“No, and she only told you that story so you wouldn’t be sad that I wasn’t around. You see, your mom and I didn’t know each other that well before. She didn’t have a way of finding me to tell me about you. She tried though. I wish she had. I would have loved to be there.”
“I was hoping,” I added hesitantly, “that maybe now that I knew about you and you knew about me, maybe we could get to know each other a little better. Maybe spend some time together.”
She looked up at me then for the first time. It was as if I was looking into my own face. I hesitated and then reached down to dry a tear.
“I would like it very much if you would let me be your Dad,” I said laced with emotion.
“I think I would like that too,” she finally said before leaning in and wrapping her arms around me in a hug.
I froze in my spot. I wasn’t expecting her to hug me. It only took me a moment though before I hugged her back in return. Standing up I took her hand and helped her down from the high bench.
"Come on,” I said nudging in the direc
tion of the car with my head. “Your mom has been worried sick. I’m pretty sure she could use a hug too.”
Epilogue
Lilly
“Barrett,” I called as I searched the flat.
This damn apartment had seemed like a good idea to move into when he had suggested it, but now it was just way too big.
“Daddy!” Arita yelled as she ran circles around the house looking for him.
I paused as another sharp pain hit.
“What?” he said coming down the stairs.
It caught my breath for a second. He was pulling headphones out of his ears, was shirtless and glistening with sweat. I couldn’t help but wonder how lucky I had been to find Barrett after all that time and now be his wife.
“Mom’s water broke,” Aria said dancing around her father in excitement. “I’m finally going to have a baby sister or brother!”
“You’re what?” Barrett said in disbelief coming closer.
He tenderly felt my belly as I leaned against the couch with another contraction.
“How close are they?” he asked me instantly snapping into doctor mode.
“Five minutes maybe. It’s going to go quick though with my water breaking.”
“Okay,” Barrett said spinning in a circle frantic.
“I think Dad's freaking out,” Aria whispered to me.
“I am not,” he retorted. “Okay,” he said again still frazzled. “I’ll change, get the bag and we can head to the hospital.”
I wasn’t entirely sure I was going to make it all the way to the hospital. On the upside I supposed that Barrett could deliver a baby just as easily in the back of a BMW than a hospital bed.
“Emma is going to meet us there,” He said putting down the phone as he sped through town.
“I don’t care if the pope is planning on showing up, I just need this thing out of me now,” I half said half screamed.
Her Pleasure Warrior_A Military Romance Page 23